Reach has created one team to make audio and video content across editorial and commercial for its national and regional brands.
The Studio team is led by director of studio Mark Field, who was previously director of client strategy and head of invention heading up Reach’s branded content team.
Field and a senior leadership team of four head up a 120-strong team.
Studio will create podcasts, video shows of various formats and social content across Reach‘s more than 100 brands across the UK including the Mirror, Express, Daily Star, Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo. The team comprises existing staff who have been merged into one team, although the company said there has also been some additional investment.
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The push for more audio and video is part of Reach’s continued digital transition and diversification of revenues.
Why Reach has created a combined audio and video team
The publisher’s annual report published this week said the organisation of the Studio team, which began in 2023, was part of it “organising teams for maximum impact”.
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As well as editorial content the team will “better support the branded content revenue opportunity,” it said, especially on social media.
It later added: “Our emphasis on efficiency goes beyond traditional cost-cutting measures as we must also organise our ways of working to put ourselves in the best position to achieve our strategic aims and accelerate our journey to being a digital-first content organisation.”
It said additional investment had been approved in the final quarter of 2023 in “key areas” including video and the “youth and lifestyle audience”.
Those will cross over, the report said, as the Studio team will help to “further develop our youth and video proposition in 2024” citing the growth of the youth-oriented brand Curiously which has reached 308,900 Tiktok followers since its launch in autumn 2022. The lessons from Curiously are being drawn upon for other Reach publications, it said, including the Mirror which has grown its Tiktok channel as a result from 66,600 followers in January 2023 to 411,800.
Field said: “Bringing together so much creative talent and enthusiasm into one team is a powerful thing. With over 120 content specialists in the virtual ‘room’, ideas have been flowing since day one, from developing existing podcasts to producing new video shows and formats, to creating content that our huge social audiences will love.
“And while some of our people will have periods where they are more devoted either to commercial or editorial projects, bringing the team together will set the bar for audiovisual excellence in all of our multimedia content, whether a football podcast or a political vox pop. I’m excited to work with everyone to create brilliant creative work both for our audiences and for our commercial partners.”
Reach Studio senior leadership team
Alongside Field, head of content Yara Silva is leading the “ideation and creation” of all audio and visual content across the group including podcasts and branded content. Silva was previously group head of social media for Reach’s national titles.
Harrie Dumenil is head of production and delivery and has previously led delivery of campaigns at The Telegraph and agency PHD.
Michelle Linaker is head of events, leading on Pride of Britain and Pride of Scotland awards having led Reach in this area since 2015.
Finally Spencer Rowbotham is head of design, leading all creative design and art direction.
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